Nine community-led projects have received funding to help them deliver culturally tailored cancer care across Australia.
Nine federal grants totalling nearly $1 million have been awarded to projects aiming to improve cancer awareness, screening, and support services for priority populations across Australia.
The grants, part of Cancer Australia’s Supporting People with Cancer program, will fund initiatives co-designed with communities to ensure culturally relevant and accessible care.
Target groups include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, rural and remote communities, culturally and linguistically diverse populations, and LGBTIQA+ Australians.
Projects will target cancers including bowel, prostate, ovarian and anal cancer, and address broader palliative care needs. Strategies include culturally safe health promotion campaigns, workforce training, telehealth-delivered fatigue management, and resources in multiple languages.
Since the program began in 2005, Cancer Australia has distributed 151 grants worth a total of $13 million.
Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care Rebecca White said the funded projects would help close the cancer care gap.
“Cancer touches so many lives and does not discriminate. These projects will help more people access the screening and support they need – especially for those who often face worse outcomes,” she said.
“They’re focused on making a real difference for people in regional and remote areas, and for First Nations communities, where access to care can be harder.
“We know the power of these community-led projects, they will help so many more people affected by cancer.”
Cancer Australia CEO Professor Dorothy Keefe said addressing disparities is a core focus of the national cancer agenda.
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“We congratulate all the recipients of the 2025 Supporting People with Cancer grants. Your initiatives play a vital role in supporting priority populations such as remote and rural communities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia,” she said.
“These groups face significant disparities of cancer outcomes compared with the broader community. Tackling these inequalities and advancing health equity remains a key focus for us.
“Achieving equity in cancer outcomes is also a core objective of the Australian Cancer Plan, which aims to improve cancer outcomes for everyone.”
Funded initiatives include:
- Aboriginal Health Council of Western Australia: Co-designed bowel cancer screening promotion campaign for Aboriginal communities;
- Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service (WA): Social and emotional wellbeing support for Aboriginal people with cancer and workforce capacity building;
- Hope Horizons Inc (QLD): Integrated wellbeing program for up to 500 rural and regional cancer patients;
- Karadi Aboriginal Corporation (TAS): Public health campaign and training for culturally appropriate cancer screening;
- Moorundi Aboriginal Health Service (SA): Toolkit for prostate cancer support among First Nations men and their partners;
- Ovarian Cancer Australia: Telehealth cognitive therapy for rural and remote ovarian cancer patients experiencing fatigue;
- Punya Foundation – Cancer screening resources and education for Nepali-speaking Bhutanese and Nepali migrants;
- Strong Spirit Services Ltd (NSW) – Palliative care awareness campaign for Aboriginal communities; and
- Thorne Harbour Health (SA) – Anal cancer awareness campaign and health practitioner training for priority populations.
More information is available on the Supporting People with Cancer grant program via the Cancer Australia website here.
